YMCA Adventure Guides: Guides' Page

"YMCA Adventure Guides: Friends Forever"
YMCA of Greater Indianapolis Adventure Guides participant, November 2005

“On the way home after a YMCA Adventure Guides meeting, my 8-year-old son, Elijah, said, ‘Who needs toys when you have your mom and your friends at Adventure Guides? It’s so much fun!’

“From a parent’s perspective Y Adventure Guides is exactly what I hoped for and so much more. I was looking for an opportunity to spend concentrated, scheduled fun time with my son, but I was afraid he’d think the program was hokey or that it would be just one more thing to add to our already busy schedule. However, he absolutely loves both the meetings and, of course, the group outings.

“Through our involvement in Adventure Guides, my son has developed friendships he would have never developed, learned things he would never have learned, and experienced activities we never would have taken time to do. But even if we had done some of these activities on our own, it has been so much more fun experiencing them with our YMCA friends. I can see in his eyes the joy and empowerment he has experienced from this child-centered, family focused program.

“We can’t imagine not being in Adventure Guides. His sister will join us in the program this year. Through the circle meetings and outings, my son and I really have become forever friends.